Harley Benton Thunderbird

[Basvarken]

Harley Benton is the low budget house brand of Europe's largest online music store Thomann.

Now they have a Thunderbird for € 148  ... 


http://www.thomann.de/be/harley_benton_tb_70vs.htm








Mahogany body, mahogany set neck
Active electronics
Wilkinson humbuckers.
Headstock shape is slightly different

For that kind of money it may be worth a chance.
What do you guys think?

[Highlander]

 

Definitely worth a risk...

[Dave W]

How bad can it be? Go for it, you could be pleasantly surprised.

[exiledarchangel]

"38mm nutwidt"

Bleh, too narrow for me. But the price is not bad at all...

[Psycho Bass Guy]

It looks to be an Epi T-Bird Pro without the sandwich through-body neck. Even if the pickups/preamp suck, that's a mahogany (or whatever low-budget Asian substitute is being called "mahogany" this week) neck and body: ought to be a pretty thunderous Thunderboid. The soundclips they have posted are exactly what I would expect from that combination.

I was also impressed with their other Gibson knockoff: http://www.thomann.de/be/harley_benton_hb_60_vw.htm?sid=84d66ab6ab03b6f8dfac97ce41d907ab

[Basvarken]

I was also impressed with their other Gibson knockoff: http://www.thomann.de/be/harley_benton_hb_60_vw.htm?sid=84d66ab6ab03b6f8dfac97ce41d907ab

You mean Gretsch knockoff of course 

[Psycho Bass Guy]

I landed in that "G" neighborhood from the tone: way more bassy than the Gretsches I've played, which were admittedly all new and mostly imports. Anyone with a not-destroyed vintage Gretsch bass around these parts never sells it and all but one of the local music stores has closed, so I doubt I'll ever run across one. I know it's supposed to be a White Falcon, but I was pretending it was an EB-2 with an accessory bridge pickup.

[exiledarchangel]

"43mm nut-width" Now THAT sounds promising!

[Basvarken]

The Harley Benton semi acoustic is exactly the same bass at the Eastwood Classic 4:




Which is it's turn is not so much a take on the (long scale) White Falcon. Is'd say it a mix between the short scales Gretsch 6072 , Broadkaster and Electromatic.

[Pilgrim]

The Harley Benton semi acoustic is exactly the same bass at the Eastwood Classic 4:




Which is it's turn is not so much a take on the (long scale) White Falcon. Is'd say it a mix between the short scales Gretsch 6072 , Broadkaster and Electromatic.

That's a pretty nice neighborhood to play in.

[godofthunder]

That looks pretty nice for the price! With CNC and cheap labor almost anything is possible!

[uwe]

That's not horrible at all, worth a try. The Harley Benton stuff is more than decent.

I would have killed for a bass with looks like that and at that price in 1976. Instead I had to get a "Johnny Guitar" Jazz Bass-knock-off because it was all I could afford.



I was heartbroken with the looks of it. It was immediately clear to me that I would not become a rock star with that thing - and guess what? I was right. To add insult to injury they had it hanging in the store right beside this ultracool Burns Flyte which was unaffordable for me (several thousand Deutsche Mark, a king's ransom at the time).



If you wonder why I have issues with Fender, dig no further! I've just revealed it all.

[Highlander]

Not my tasse tee, to flip an expression...

[Pilgrim]

Ach, Uwe is the victim of long-repressed Fender envy. 

Who'd a thunk it? 

[uwe]